Correlation between blood eosinophil level and steroid doses in patients with bullous pemphigoid / 中国医学科学院学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the correlation between blood eosinophil (EOS)level and steroid doses in patients of bullous pemphigoid (BP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 82 untreated BP inpatients (n=49) and outpatients (n=33) were enrolled in this study. The blood EOS level and the steroid doses before and after treatment were recorded. The correlation between EOS level and steroid doses was analyzed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EOS increased in 69 BP patients (84.15%); on the contrary, only 10% of normal controls had increased EOS (t=1.99,P<0.001). In 44 inpatients, the blood EOS remained high before steroid treatment, and quickly returned to normal level after the disease became stable. There was a linear correlation between EOS and steroid doses (Spearman analysis,r=0.496,P<0.001). In 5 patients who were treated by non-steroid approach, EOS level also declined after the disease was resolved.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EOS can be one of useful indicators for the application of steroids in the treatment of BP.</p>